The Skye is Blue
by Hermioneof12
Summary: Jeffrey is coming to visit, and Skye doesn't know why she is acting so weird. *I don't own The Penderwicks. Jeanne Birdsall wrote it, so she is AWESOME!* Please review!
1. Chapter 1

The Penderwick household was bursting with joy. It was spring break, and they had just received a call from Jeffrey. He was coming to visit! For a whole week, 7 glorious days to spend with this wonderful boy! Everyone was ecstatic. Even Hound—who Batty told with great excitement—was beyond happiness. He was overjoyed! The Penderwicks were in a frenzy, because Jeffrey would be here this very afternoon.

"Jane!" Skye shouted, running up the stairs into their shared room. "Jane! How much progress have you made? Are you almost done your side? Hurry!" She was beginning to get hyper, as she always did when people were cleaning. Skye took one glance into their room and noticed Jane sitting on her desk, writing, as usual. "Jane! Honestly, do I have to do it all myself?" She began to grab random garments of clothing and stuff them into drawers. "Jane!"

"Mmmmhmmm…." Jane sighed and continued writing. Skye was now onto the bed, making them as fast as they could possibly be made, before running out of the room with a new task.

"Battttyyyy! Battttyyyyyyy!" Skye was frantic, where was Batty?" She ran back downstairs, tearing through the living room, and into the kitchen, flipping up the table cloth noticing 2 little pairs of feet, and 4 paws. "Ben! Batty! Hound! What do you think you're doing?" Skye yelled, exasperated. Someone must've heard her yelling, because there were footsteps in the hall.

"Skye. Relax. Don't worry." It was Iantha. "Go do some math, I've got this under control. So does Rosy." Skye groaned and walked off to go sit on the roof. At least she would be the first one to see Jeffrey from there.


	2. Chapter 2

"2x+6=12ummm 3...yes 3. Next one…" Skye had been completing problems at rapid pace, it was the only way to keep her mind off cleaning. Before she had even begun the next question, she heard a car coming down Gardam street. She stood up on the roof, although she had been told numerous times not to, and checked. Yes, it was him. Jeffrey was here!

Quick as a flash, Skye raced inside. She practically jumped down the stairs, dodging every person around her. She was out the door before you could say Jeffrey. She said it anyways, yelling as she ran to meet him, grinning broadly she waved at him and met him at the end of their driveway.

She grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the car, and looked him over. He looked just the same. Same freckly face, same brown hair that wouldn't stick down. But he was taller. At least an inch or two taller than her. That was a bit disturbing. But she didn't care, she was with her best friend.

"Hey Skye!" Jeffrey sounded excited to see her too. She smiled and started to pull him inside.

"C'mon! The others will want to see you too!" Then she noticed Alec. "Oh, Alec! You're here!" Skye was glad to know Alec and Jeffrey were getting along better. The 3 grabbed Jeffrey's stuff and brought it inside.


	3. Chapter 3

After much excitement, laughing, and smiling, Jeffrey finally got settled. He was in Batty's room, while Batty was sharing with Ben. Batty was not at all sad about giving up her room, because she loved Jeffrey more than anything, and staying in Bens room would be like a sleepover.

Alec finally met Iantha and Daddy, and Hoover was there, much to Skye's disappointment. Jeffrey was flocked by the girls, them all wanting to know questions about how he'd been, how school was, his mother, and the much loathsome Dexter Dupree. Jeffrey answered all of them, and when the girls were finally satisfied they were up to date, they decided to go flock Alec. All, that is, except Skye. She decided to stay with Jeffrey.

"So, Jeffrey, tell me about your music?" Skye knew he would want to go on about that forever.

"Well, good, I guess, but I really want to know how you are Skye, how are you?" Jeffrey said. Skye was confused. Jeffrey not talking about his music? Wow, something was up. But he was Jeffrey, after all, so she decided to answer his question.

"I'm fine, I guess. Nothing special. Pearson started following me around again, that stupid little blockhead, so that's annoying, and Melissa has staring being awful again, but that's normal. Soccer is good." Skye spoke in one breath, not really sure why she brought up Pearson.

"Oh. Who's Pearson?" Jeffrey replied, sounding a bit far away.

"Ohh, just some weird boy who likes me, he's a big jerk, I try not to talk to the little idiot."

"Oh," Jeffrey said, sounding a bit more cheerful. He grinned and poked her in the stomach. "Let's go talk to the others."


	4. Chapter 4

A couple days went by, and the girls and Jeffrey were having a ton of fun. Rosalind introduced Jeffrey to Tommy, Jane took him to her rock, Batty played games with him and Ben, and Skye played soccer.

As much as Skye loved spending time with her family—they were great company—she did want some alone time with Jeffrey, so she didn't refuse the chance for her an Jeffrey to babysit Batty and Ben one evening while a Latin conference was on. Rosalind and Jane had both begun Latin in school, so they decided to go along.

"Dearest Jeffrey, and my sister Skye! I regret leaving you, but I yearn to enhance my Latin abilities! Goodbye." Jane announced, as she left their house.

"See you later guys! Love you Batty and Ben." Rosalind said checking over Batty for any wrinkles in her pyjamas. "Make sure to tuck them in, in 20 minutes, okay?" She looked pointedly at Skye.

The door shut and they could hear the car start up outside. Skye sighed and looked at Jeffrey. She was the OAP once again. But thank goodness, just for 20 minutes.

Batty and Ben settled themselves to play with Hound for a little while, at least until bedtime. Bedtime came quickly, and Skye decided to let Jeffrey do the honours. They liked him better anyways. While Jeffrey was busy, Skye climbed out her bedroom window to sit on her roof, her only little spot where she felt completely safe. She brought her binoculars with her, and stared passively at the soccer ball on the roof of Tommy's house.

"Hey, thought I'd find you here…" Jeffrey's voice reached her outside of the window. She scooted over a little and motioned for him to come out. He carefully climbed out, and—not having as much practice as her—clung to the underside of the window sill. "So, Skye. How's life?"

Skye laughed and rolled her eyes. "Silly, you know. Math, science, soccer. That's me. And you?"

He grinned. "Music, soccer, and there's one other thing I care about very much."

"Whats that?" Skye asked. He smiled teasingly.

There was silence. Nobody talked. Skye was just about to ask him again, when he replied.

"You."

Skye's stomach fluttered—something it had never done before. She remembered last summer how Jeffrey had briefly talked about them getting married. She thought he was crazy then, and maybe she thought he was crazy now. But she understood it a little more. She smiled and looked away.

"Skye. Look at me." Skye looked over at that boy she thought she knew so well. She had no idea what he was doing right now. She turned her head and looked into his green eyes, for 1 second, 2 seconds, 3. He still wasn't saying anything. She cleared her throat and began to get up again, when two hands grabbed her face, and a pair of warm lips pressed against her mouth. Jeffrey had kissed her. He got up, hiding his red face, and left her alone in the cold, starry night.


	5. Chapter 5

Skye could not believe what had just happened. She was in shock, sitting on the roof perfectly still. Jeffery had kissed her. Jeffery had kissed her. Jeffrey had kissed her. She didn't know what had brought him to do that. She was, well, just Skye.

After Jeffrey had awkwardly hobbled out the window, Skye didn't move. It began to get darker, and darker, and darker, until it was pitch black. She didn't move at all, or have one other single thought pass through her head, until she saw the car pull up, and Penderwicks filing out through every door. She figured she should either be downstairs with Jeffrey—which she didn't want to be right now—or in bed. Skye decided to climb back inside, and without even brushing her teeth, she climbed into bed.

About 10 minutes later, she hear Jane hobble in, bumping into their desks and dressers in the darkened room.

"Owch…" Jane muttered quietly, before saying something about Sabrina Starr, and sighing happily. She climbed into her bed beside Skye's, and was quiet for the rest of the night.

The next morning, she woke up to Jane poking her feet, and announcing something about going to the rock with Batty, Ben, and Jeffrey. Skye hastily decided that if Jeffrey was going, she wouldn't. That would be way too awkward. She waited long after she heard Jane leave, before leaving the safety of her own bedroom. Hopefully Jeffery had already left, and she wouldn't have to be face to face with this boy that had made everything so horribly confusing.

"Hi daddy, where's Rosy?" Skye asked her father, hoping Rosalind was her to give her some good advice.

"Probably in her room. Why, my lovely daughter?"

"Uhhmm…no reason. Just some sisterly time." Skye hoped she wasn't an obvious liar. She quickly ran off towards the end of the hallway, where Rosalind had her own room. She knocked on the door, and didn't wait for a response before bursting in.

"Rosy!" Skye hissed. "Help me!"


	6. Chapter 6

"What?" Rosalind sighed, slightly irritated. She was working on a history project that was due after the break, and she was planning on maintaining her 90% average. "You know I have to work on this project!"

"Yes, well, I know, but this is really important!" Skye whined. "It's, well, it's, uhm, uh..."

"Yes, okay, spit it out," Rosalind looked at her impatiently.

"How do you know you like Tommy?" Skye blushed furiously. "Uhm, I'm just wondering."

Rosalind stared at her younger sister. Skye? Asking a question about boys? Unthinkable! But she couldn't let he sister down. "Uh, well, I guess I just know. Whenever he talks to me I feel really happy, just looking at him puts a smile on my face."

Skye looked kind of nauseous. She thanked Rosalind and left the room, this time looking for Iantha. "Iantha? Iantha?" She called, tromping through the house. She tore open the door to Iantha's office and ran in. "Iantha, I have a question."

"Yes?" Iantha pushed her glasses up her nose and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Another about dark matter?" Skye was looking kind of pale, and her blue eyes were wide open, as if she was nervous.

"Not exactly…" Skye replied. "It's, uh, whatagewereyouwhenyoustarted likingboys?" She winced, knowing she said it too fast. "That is, what age were you when you started liking boys?" Iantha looked surprised, like she never thought she would hear Skye ever say that.

"Well, 12, I guess. There was this one, Brendan. He was the cutest in the 7th grade." She sighed dreamily. "Why, do you have a boy in your school?"

"No, not in my school. They're all buffoons!" Skye shrugged. "Thanks Iantha." She walked off, worried. She was 13. Maybe her time had come…


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Skye had gotten dressed and eaten breakfast, the others were already back. Rosalind and Iantha were looking at her curiously, and Jane wouldn't be quiet. She was going on and on about wishes, and curses, and magic, or something.

Skye was sitting on the couch, staring at their piano—yes, Batty had gotten one—when Jeffrey decided to come sit with her. "Hey Skye," he said. "About last night…" She glared at him.

"Jeffrey Tifton. Please do not ever talk about last night. Please." She felt bad for a second, because he looked a little bit hurt. "I'm sorry, but I just can't think of it. I just don't know." She looked away for a while, and then looked back. "Maybe later. Maybe. If you're lucky." Jeffrey looked satisfied at that answer.

"Look, Skye, I'm sorry just—"

"I meant it…" Skye said warningly. Then she grinned and stabbed him in the stomach. "C'mon, let's go play soccer!"

After Skye hollered for Jane, the three started a rousing game of soccer in the front yard. They were so loud that their shouts and cries of joy were heard, and Tommy and Nick eventually came over, followed closely by Rosalind, Batty, and even little Ben.

It was a fair match—Jane, Tommy, Ben, and Skye vs. Jeffrey, Nick, Rosalind, and Batty. So far the score was 3-4, for Skye's team, but Jeffrey swore they would win. Maybe they would win, or maybe not, but it was hard to tell because as the sun began to rise into the warm spring air, the Penderwicks and Jeffrey were called in for lunch.

The two teams shook hands, and maybe it was just Skye, but she felt her hand stay in Jeffrey's for a little longer than all the others.


	8. Chapter 8

"Urghhh..." Skye groaned as she dropped the bottle of mustard on the floor, mustard squirting everywhere. She was in the midst of juggling her and Jane's sandwiches while making Batty's at the same time. She kicked the slimy bottle across the floor, not caring how messy it became.

"Need help?" A head popped out from behind the doorway, and not just any head. "Wow, you definitely do need help…" Jeffrey said answering his own question, staring at a very messy girl standing in the middle of a mustard explosion. "Go clean up, I'll finish Batty's and bring out Ben's."

"Thanks," Skye smiled gratefully and went off to the bathroom.

As Skye soaked in the bathtub, she thought about one thing: Jeffrey. She mulled over what had happened the night before. He cared about her, he liked her, he kissed her. It wasn't new to have a boy like her—Pearson was just one of the more belligerent ones. But she couldn't believe that Jeffrey (JEFFREY!) liked her.

Last summer when he mentioned them getting married, she remembered thinking it was just him wanting to have a family, and any one of them would work. But maybe…maybe it was because he actually wanted to marry her. Not someone. Her.

"Stupid boys," Skye said to nobody in particular. She groaned and submerged herself under the water. It was all very confusing. She never had to think about this before, it was always just a plain, simple, no. Sighing, she scrubbed the last of the mustard off and climbed out of the bath.


	9. Chapter 9

Skye walked downstairs and was immediately bombed by two children and a dog. "Skye! Skye! Skye! Can you take us on a walk? Jeffrey said you could!" Batty shouted, sounding overly excited. Skye glared at Jeffrey before miserably agreeing to go along. "Jeffrey is coming too! Right Jeffrey?" Batty grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Come on guys!" Ben, Batty, and Hound ran ahead in the direction of the woods, the other two close behind.

"So, what's up?" Skye said casually, looking anywhere but at the person beside her. "What do ya wanna talk about?"

"You know what I want to talk about…" Jeffrey said quietly. "Can we please just talk for a little?" He looked at Skye and noticed how avidly she was studying the ground.

"Fine." She mumbled. Jeffrey almost grinned, but then he realized he had to figure out what to say.

"Um, well, remember how last summer I talked about us maybe getting married?" Skye nodded. "Well, I don't think you really got the hint…" Jeffrey raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Haha, nope, Jane and I just got sort of confused," Skye said giggling. _I never giggle! _She thought in horror. Apparently Jeffrey thought the same thing, because he looked a bit more confident.

"Yes well, I really like you Skye. I liked you before, as a friend, but now I feel like we should be more then friends. Well, uh, I was wondering what you think about this?" Jeffrey said that all very quickly, and blushing like a tomato, suddenly noticed a very interesting little speck of dirt on his shoe he had to stare at.

Skye didn't say a word, but she knew that something was going to have to happen eventually. Going over the options in her head, she decided to do the easiest one. Instead of having to express her feelings, something she dearly hated doing, she grabbed a hold of Jeffrey's hand. His hand was slack for a moment, and Skye briefly wondered if she did the right thing, but then it squeezed back, and she knew that she never wanted to let go of this boy that she was so very lucky to have.


	10. Chapter 10

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Skye was still a little bit in shock when she looked down 5 minutes later and noticed Jeffrey still tightly gripping her hand. She thought about what this felt like. Jane was always talking about

"Skyyyyyeee! Jefffffreeeeyyyyy!" Batty ran around the corner, tears running down her cheeks, with Ben close on her heels. Skye quickly unclenched her hand from Jeffrey's and started rubbing it on her jeans. She didn't realize her hands could even get that sweaty. "Skye I dropped Funty in the creek!" Batty said tearfully, nearly full out bawling.

"Good grief!" Skye sighed. She wasn't quite sure how this was all going to work out, but at this rate she'd have to cope with her own mixed up feelings, as well as Batty's. "Okay Batty, where did you drop it?" Batty sniffed before speaking.

"Over there Skye, but please get Funty quickly, I don't want him to be too scared!" Batty pointed towards the left, and spoke quickly in one breath. Even little Ben looked worried; he did NOT want his best friend and big sister to be upset. "Please Skye!" Batty repeated.

"Alright, alright. Let's go see if we can find him." Skye sighed; glad at least for a distraction. She wasn't quite sure still how to deal with the terribly distraught 5 year old beside her. "Jeffrey?" Skye motioned towards Batty and looked at him hopefully. "Help?" He jumped in immediately.

"Okay Battikins! Can we follow you to Funty? Here, take my hand." He grinned. "Let's make this a game! Funty is the buried treasure, and we are pirates that are looking for this box of gold and jewels. If we find this then we will have enough money to buy ice cream for us, AND carrots for the horses that you love to visit so much. Let's go!" Batty slowly began to smile, as Skye admired how Jeffrey had been so calm under pressure, so good with the younger ones, thought up how to occupy them, and a good way to find Funty, and just had been so collected...Skye shook her head. Now she was getting distracted. There was an elephant to find.


	11. Chapter 11

Skye bent over the creek, taking a long look down past the bridge. "Batty, can you at least TRY to remember where you dropped him? Or you Ben?" She said desperately. Both the children shook their heads.

Suddenly, she heard a shout. "Guys! I found Funty!" Jeffrey came running towards them, with an absence of elephant in his hand. "I can't quite reach him, he's in the middle of the creek," he said with a pained expression on his face. "But don't worry Batty we'll get him," he continued hastily after realizing he did not want a crying little girl on his hands.

"Alright, I'm the OAP, so I'll get him," Skye said grudgingly. She could tell Jeffrey was about to disagree, but this was her job as Batty's blood sister. Now it was quite obvious where Funty was, but that didn't make it any easier to get him. If you just moved that log over a couple inches, she would be able to reach the tip of Funty's ear. "C'mon Jeffrey, help me move this log over a bit."

"Okay please be careful Skye." He yanked on the log getting it into perfect walking position. Skye began to walk, balancing carefully in order to not fall in.

Left, right, left, right. She went a foot at a time watching for knots and bumps in the wood, as the water rushed past her, swirling and churning mud and sticks past her sneakers. At least the water wasn't that deep, if she fell in it wouldn't go past her ankles. Just as this thought slipped through her mind, she stepped once more, and the log sunk down a few inches into the water, throwing Skye off balance. Slipping on the side of the slick wood, she plonked into the water on her butt, drenching herself in frigid creek water. Standing up quickly, she grabbed that dratted Elephant toy she had done all this for, and walked out of the creek, the old-fashioned-no-log-way.

"Skye! Are you alright?" Jeffrey cried looking worried, running over to pull her out of the creek.

"Ugh. I'm fine. Just great. Perfect." She said storming off in the general direction of the house. Why did something that embarrassing have to happen? Why did stupid old Batty have to drop her stupid old toy in the creek? At the very least could she have landed on her feet? Or knees? Or something? "Gahhh…" She groaned, "gahhhh." Looking down at her hands, she noticed Funty was still there. "Take him Batty. Here!" She cried, tossing the poor little creature over her head. She plonked down on the path, rubbing her arms to warm herself up.

"Skye?" Oh great. Here he was. "Are you cold? If you are we'll start walking back." He scooted over beside her. "Batty says thank you for getting Funty."

Skye sighed. "Tell her she's welcome. And no, I'm fine." She shivered without meaning to. "Okay, maybe a little." Without warning, Jeffrey slipped his arms around her in a sort of awkward sitting down hug, You wouldn't think two arms would help much, but it warmed Skye up from the tips of her toes to her ears, and she felt like as long as she was in his embrace, she would never be cold again.


End file.
